Fore and aft vibrational isolation systems for vehicle seats are known. However, there are several manufacturers of vehicle seats for use in trucks and the like which do not have the capability of isolating the vehicle seat from the shocks applied thereto by movement of the vehicle so that the seat bounces and jounces the user in response to the vibrations and movements of the vehicle to which the seat is attached. A major problem in the design of highway equipment is operator fatigue, occasioned to a large extent by the bouncing and jouncing to which operators are subjected because of the stiff suspension system of the vehicle and rough road conditions over which the vehicle is to be run. Extremely heavily loaded highway types are generally the cause for the rather stiff suspensions. Conventional operator seats on such equipment are frequently referred to as "kidney-busters", and the charge is not made in jest. Moreover, the problem is aggravated by the existence of numerous variables, such as roughness of the roadway, speed, operator weight, etc., so that a seat having all of the desirable characteristics for one set of variables will probably not be at all right for a situation having a different set of variables.
In those vehicle seats which do not have the capability of absorbing shocks, an operator is faced with a decision of either staying with the vehicle seat or discarding same in favor of a new vehicle seat having structure incorporated therein which will facilitate the absorption of shocks. This latter alternative is expensive and, therefore, undesirable. Accordingly, structure which will facilitate an adaption of an existing seat construction to one having an absorption of shock characteristic is highly desirable.
It is an object of this invention to provide in an existing seat construction having no vibration isolation characteristics an attachment which will facilitate a conversion of the existing seat to one having an absorption of shock characteristic to isolate the vehicle operator from the shocks applied to the vehicle by road conditions and the like.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an attachment, as aforesaid, which is inexpensive and simple to install, thereby making it desirable to the vehicle operator to convert the seat construction to one having the aforesaid absorption of shock characteristic.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an attachment, as aforesaid, which is inexpensive, simple to operate and uses the existing equipment in the original vehicle seat to facilitate the aforesaid conversion.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an attachment, as aforesaid, which will fit between the floor of the vehicle and a base member on which the seat construction is mounted.